Paul talks about three kinds of giving. We will call them sowing, "grudgy giving," and "gifting." Sowing is giving with expectations of a return on investment. “Grudgy” giving or transaction giving is giving with reluctance or under compulsion while expecting an exchange of equal or lesser value. The third type of giving is to gift. To gift is to completely let go of the thing of value and give it with hope that the gift will be a source of joy and life to the receiver.God loves a cheerful giver. The word in Greek is hilaron – like hilarious. It means won over. God is completely won over by us. He proved that by giving us Jesus. When we are won over by God, we can give to Him without expecting a transaction, but in the hope of His inevitable kindness.

How do I become a "gifter?" Love/Agape - when you love someone and trust them and you’re won over by them it is so much easier to “gift,” to empty your hands completely.This is why Abram was able to give the first tithe. He was totally won over on God in love and trust. Abram emptied his hands to show God he loved God, trusted Him, and would have no God but Him. With Abram’s empty hands God blesses the nations. And God is so won over by Abram that God and Abram finally cut the covenant together and lock in their relationship with one another forever.

God loves a cheerful giver, someone who is completely won over by Him, who trusts Him enough to empty his hands for Him. And when we empty our hands to God the blessings flow all over the place.